Despite the fact that for some people, tyres are a minor priority but it should not be this way at all. The round, black, rubber compounds play a very significant role while you travel to your destination and these should never be ignored. Pay attention to your tyres for not just one but many reasons, your tyres are responsible for your vehicle’s performance as well as stopping distance and handling. While you choose to buy a new set of tyres, below are some smart tips that you should always consider before making your decision.
Double Check the Size, Speed and Load Rating of Your Tyre
The foremost tip while buying a tyre is to check 3 things, size, speed and load rating.
- Size:
Before you confirm any booking or take a buying decision on the spot, double-check your tyre size on the sidewall as it can affect the performance and can be risky if bought with the wrong size. Even a slightly different size can affect the efficiency of the vehicle.
- Speed
Not only size, but tyres also come with different specifications like performance and speed. Every tyre carries a specific speed rating. Speed rating not only indicates how fast the driver can drive safely but also the overall performance of the tyres. Usually, tyres for high-performance cars have a higher speed rating than that of family cars like SUVs and sedans. While buying a tyre for your vehicle, always check what speed rating tyre will best suit your vehicle.
- Load Rating
The load rating of a tyre represents how much load a tyre can carry. Other than double-checking tyre size and tyre speed, don’t forget to cross-check the load rating while buying the tyre. Check how much load your vehicle is supposed to carry and then buy the cars accordingly.
Original Equipment Tyre
The second most important tip is to make sure whether or not you need original equipment (OE) tyre. An OE tyre is a tyre designed with customized and smart specifications. An OE tyre is usually matched with high end and premium car brands. It is usually recommended by manufacturers to get an original equipment tyre because the technology and time spent on customizing the tyre is exceptional. It is not mandatory to get the OE tyre but it’s better if you check them and decide whether your vehicle needs it or not.
Have them fitted in Pairs
It is always the best option to buy tyres in pairs. Usually, tyres are sold in two because there are a lot of reasons towards it, from balance to stability to even wear. If the front two tyres are fitted to the same axle on your car as are the rear pair, the car will be more stable. If the tread of the tyre on one side of the car is different than the tread of the tyre on the other side of the car, it will be like a seesaw, the balance won’t be correct, leaving the driver with an uneven and unstable drive. And this can cause a very unpleasant situation and your life at risk if you are to go on an undecided and unplanned drive.
Always get tyres of the same size, brand, tread pattern and ratings to stay safe from any misfortunes.
Time of Year
Another important thing to consider while buying a tyre is to see what time of the year you are buying it for, see if you need them for summer travel or winter travel. Summer tyre’s specifications differ from winter tyre’s specifications and both of them work completely differently. It is always suggested to pay attention to what season you need the tyres for and select the tyres accordingly.
Premium, Mid-Range or Budget
This is a very common discussion when it comes to buying a new tyre.
Premium tyre brands get the attention because of the knowledge, expertise and money while mid-range sits in the middle of the market place and cheaper brands get importance solely because of how inexpensive they are.
Tyres come in different prices and specifications. Planning what price range should you go for, totally depends on your vehicle needs and the season you need the tyre for. You can even buy tires online once you know which one suits your needs best.